


Even Superheroes Need People Who Love Them

by inkedbooklady



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-17
Updated: 2013-10-17
Packaged: 2017-12-29 16:51:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1007773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkedbooklady/pseuds/inkedbooklady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-IM3, Pepper and Happy conspire to rescue Tony from himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even Superheroes Need People Who Love Them

He still couldn’t sleep, not really. Waking nightmares of what if – failing to catch the falling Air Force One passengers, losing Rhodey, Killian succeeding, or, oh God, Pepper exploding in a red and black inferno – raced across his brain, denying him any chance at respite. He’d hoped, even prayed to a God he didn’t really believe in that the arc reactor removal would give him peace, and it had, at least briefly. But now, despite the fact that his body was in better shape than it had been in years, possibly decades, despite the fact that both Pepper and Happy were recovered too and back in their accustomed places at his side, Tony Stark still couldn’t sleep. Instead, he worked with almost manic focus, building and creating in hopes of driving the visions away.

With Pepper’s support, indeed her encouragement, he’d begun work on a new suit, one that allowed him to exploit the power of the Extremis virus that lurked in his body. That detail was not well-known, even his doctors didn’t have all the facts. He’d debated using it, but his need to fix Pepper had led to not only stabilizing but improving Hansen’s work. And Tony Stark was not the kind of person who could leave a good idea unused, especially one that was immediately applicable to making life better for himself and someone he held dear. If anyone wondered why he and Happy didn’t have scarring from their various ordeals, no one had been bold enough to ask yet. Mark 44 wasn’t quite battle-ready yet, but she gleamed in her case, waiting for the final code updates to be ready. Tony swallowed his cold coffee, hoping the caffeine boost would let him work for a few more hours. He didn’t expect to hear a soft voice behind him.

“Come to bed,” the words were gentle but there was more than a hint of steel in them.

“Pep,” he started to speak as he turned to face her, “I need…” The words trailed to a stop when he realized she wasn’t alone. Pepper stood just inside the workshop, beautifully soft against the industrial surroundings. She was dressed for bed, hair down, skin glowing and cosmetic free, the soft cotton nightie baring her arms and those amazing legs. All that he’d expected. Pepper did know what he liked after all. What he hadn’t expected was the shirtless bulk of Happy beside her dressed in Iron Man-themed cotton sleep pants. 

“Umm, guys, what….”

“Time for bed, boss,” Happy’s deeper voice was as gentle as Pepper’s earlier words. “You need to rest.”

“Hap, Pep, what…”

“You have to trust us, Mr. Stark,” Pepper curved her body against his side, and his arm automatically wrapped itself around her waist to draw her closer.

“We’re here, boss, and we’re not going away,” Happy moved to his other side, pressing close enough that Tony allowed his body to go slack against the other man’s warmth, trusting without conscious thought that Happy would catch his weight.

He was still confused; something was clearly going on that he didn’t understand. But, he was used to being confused about people, so maybe that was okay. They were so warm, and he was so tired. Maybe he could trust this.

Tony allowed them to extract him from the shop, allowed them to herd him gently up to the penthouse in silent surrender. He blinked, but otherwise didn’t protest when Happy stripped and followed him into the oversized shower. In fact, he stood strangely still and allowed the other man to gently scrub him clean and massage his scalp as he shampooed away motor oil and metal dust. He didn’t flinch as the sponge moved carefully over the spot where the arc once rested, and his body gave only a tiny twitch when it tickled over his soft groin. Tony just gave himself over, too tired to fight these bodily liberties and too lulled by the gentle intimacy to protest.

Pepper was waiting on the bed when Happy led him out of the bathroom, his skin tingling from the contrast of cool tower air on water-warmed skin. She’d shed the nightie before lying down; her modesty teasingly preserved by the drape of the Egyptian cotton sheet, vibrantly red against her pale skin. She flipped the sheet back, opening the space beside her while keeping her body hidden. “Come to bed.”

Unable and unwilling to resist, Tony slid into the bed, his body gravitating toward hers without thought. Pepper pulled him to her, resting his head against her breast and combing strong fingers though his damp hair. “Go to sleep. We’ll keep the nightmares away.”

He murmured acceptance against her skin as his exhausted mind tried to parse that statement. “Wait, we,” he started to ask, but his efforts to push himself upright were thwarted by Pepper’s grip and the sudden presence of Happy behind him, wrapping them both in a sheltering embrace.

“We,” the words were whispered into the back of his neck. “Go to sleep, boss. We’re here.”

And, wrapped in a cocoon of skin and trust, Tony finally let sleep come.


End file.
